Spring Break

BALI and Gili Islands


            

View from our porch in Tulemban!

Tulemban is on the North and of Bali, a little more then 2 hour drive from the airport.  This was so quite and relaxing it was so hard to leave.  Nate did a lot of diving while we were here and thought it was fantastic!  But we had heard from a friend that Gili Islands were the place to be.  So after a few days here we left for a small tropical paradise.

Private Bungalow

Off to Gili!

All three islands of Gili are beautiful.  But offer different things.  Depending on what you are looking for.  If you want a nice isolated beach almost to your self the two smaller island are wonderful.  They are also a lot quiter.  If you are looking for a beach scene during the day and party scene at night the main island is right up your ally.  But remember the sun is hot, the water activities are many and if you don't take a nap during the day you are drained by 9 or 10pm.

Sunset beach on gili!  The mountain in the distance is the Volcano of Bali!

My little friends!!!

Also if you do not have facebook or don't check it often, I will be home for a visit in July!  July 10th to August 1st or 2nd.

Right now I have done a lot of traveling and I am really looking to relax and spend time back home in Colorado.  At this time I just plan on visiting Colorado. 

Also I would like to say Congrats to my Step brother Jack and his wife Shaya on their new addition to the family!

Down Under!

 

What can I say about Australia!  I think since I was a little girl I have always dream of visiting the land down under.  It is amazing how similar and Western the city of Melbourne is (reminded me of Denver), but also how different, they have some of the strangest and most fascinating animals!  They are only Native to that continent.  My adventure to Australia was focused on the Australian Open!  This is #2 out of the 4 major Open's I have seen.  As a teacher in the States this is also the hardest to go to, since it always takes place the last 2 weeks of January.  I was very fortunate this year to have Tet the Vietnamese holiday fall over the second week of the open, I could not pass up the chance.  Even though tennis was the focus I still allowed my self a few nights out and time to explore the country side and get some sun!

You need lots of everything in Australia....Alot of
Money
Time
and even more Sunscreen!

 

No joke that is a real Koala.  They look like stuffed animals even when you are petting them.

Miss you all!  P.S. I will be back in the States for about a month this summer.  Mostly Colorado...i will let everyone know the dates as the summer gets closer.

Christmas in Laos (who woulda thought)

Laos....what can I say about Laos!  I think Luang Prabang might be one of my favorite little cities.  They have amazing restuarant both Western and Lao dishes.  There are outdoor adventure to be enjoyed whenever you want.  Beautifully breath taking waterfalls, (also breath taking when you jump in to the pritine blue water).

We spent 7 days in Laos including travel.  Christmas  fell in the middle.  A few drinks on Christmas Eve along with some dancing, followed by a nice quiet xmas day.

Without a doubt our favorite day was our second to last one.  All of the pictures below our from that day!

Everything fell into place that day.  The Weather was amazing, the experiences were just what we were hoping for and more.

Asian Elephants weigh about 2 tons on average which is about 5 to 6 tons less then the average African Elephant. I think I am good on my Asian Friend!


Our day began with an hour walk on the out skirts of the Elephant.  The walk would have taken us about 15 to 20 minutes.  But Elephants stop about every 30 seconds to a 1 to eat OR "dispose of what they have eaten".

Afterwards we watch friends take the elephants for a bath in the river. Then we ourselves gave her a bath.  As you can tell bathes our for the amusement of the Mahouts as they watch the westerns fall off the giant mammal when she goes under

Nate was on the Elephant with me....if you look very closely you can see the top of his head as he "takes a bath" too!

Then off we went to are second waterfall to visit and go on an hour zip line course through the jungle!  (hint:  this was Nate's favorite part")

I don't think either of us believed our guide when he said he was hooking both of us together on this line!
Conversation
Guide:  "You go together this time"
Nate: " Sure....w wa wait WHAT!"
Guide: " Yay yay it ok"

We made it hung out in the waterfall for a while and then finished our wonderful and tiring day put the Elephants to bed in the Jungles of Laos!'

Next pics to come from the "Land Downunder"

Being Girly!

Ok so it has been a while since I posted to this blog.  Thought it was time.  Things have been going really well here.  I have been traveling alot and decided that I need to get some pictures up.    This past month I had 3 weeks off for the Christmas holiday.  I did 3 short trips: first to Hoi an, then christmas in Laos and New Years in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon).  Everything was fun a different.  Each trip offered different things.  I am going to split the trips into a few blogs because of the pictures.  But they were all fun in different ways.  Hoi an was a girls weekend,  Laos was a couples and Ho Chi Minh was back to single traveling getting out and around. 

 So Hoi an is in the middle section of Vietnam on the coast.  It is known as Tailor central.  There over 500 tailor in this small town and every shop is tailors, tailors, tailors!  If you every go there, give yourself a day to walk (shop) around and find the best prices.  Also try a few stores and buy 1 or two things at each place.  They get a bit over whelmed if you give them to many items at just one store.  I had a few dresses and shorts made.  But my favorites were black boot made just to fit me for $50.  They are in the top picture.  Also my new peacoat jacket sized just for me!

Girls week was great we went to Ba Na to take the cable car up the the mountain to see the giant marble Budha.  It was pouring, windy and quite cold on the top of the mountain.  But I am so glad to have that experience.

 
 Our favorite restuarant was this little place right across the street from our hotel.  The family was incredibly nice we played with the baby boy during dinner, they even gave us a cooking lesson on how to make our favorite dishes "Lotus Salas"  Amazingly good.

 I would write more but I need to go meet my friend Chrissy's new addition to the family, Marko!  Picture of him soon as well...

HOME!

Thailand in a Nut Shell!!!
 

I am not sure I can capture the beauty of Southern Thailand!  I think some of these picture are wonderful to look at but it does not compare to sitting in a hammock, drinking a Mojito, watching the sun set and realize you are in the Gulf of Thailand!

If you had asked me 10 years ago where I saw myself at 27...I would have said college degree, married, thinking about having kids...living in Colorado!

But that is the wonderful thing about life it never works out how you plan!

So instead at 27 I am wondering the world making friends, new family, and for the first time in 10 years I am completely and utterly happy with not knowing where my life will lead.

But for now it leads me to Thailand for my fall break....

View from hotel room in Ko Samui!

Thailand has dozens of islands scattered around it.  Most of them are in the south.  I took my adventure to the 3 islands grouped together on the Gulf.  Ko Samui which is the biggest and most popular, Ko Phanghan the second in size and known as the party island...last but not least Ko Tao (means "Turtle Island").  This was my favorite, it was small and relaxed with just enough energy at night.  Check out one of the main roads in town.

The busy road of Ko Tao

But at the end of the day the best part of my trip was going home!  Which surprised me more then anything, it has been years since I was really excited to return home from a trip.  Last summer I spent my 7 hour flight from Ireland to the states in tears because going back just felt wrong!  It was shocking to me how in 3 months this place is home and I am so very happy to call it that.  And with those feeling I would also like to say I have decided to stay for a 2nd year in Ha Noi, Vietnam.  Whats more exciting is life can never be planned so we will see where I really am this time next year!

To my friends and family back home thank you for your support and love.  Its because I know you are and that I can count on you that I feel free to explore!  Love you all!